The woman unzipped the backpack and a frightened chocolate Pomeranian peered out at her. Unsure how long the dog had been on her own, the Good Samaritan raced the trembling animal to MSPCA-Angell, a nonprofit animal rescue organization in Boston.

“She was very cold. Her temperature was down 4 degrees [from where it should be], and she needed to be warmed with a heating blanket,” Rob Halpin, director of public relations for MSPCA-Angell, told The Dodo. “There was a thin coat of pollen on the bag which makes us think that she was in the bag for at least a night and a day — and potentially more than that.”

Since the little dog had no name or home, rescue workers named her Jan, after JanSport, the brand of bag in which she was found. And as word of her strange rescue spread throughout the organization, Jan soon became the most popular dog at the MSPCA.

No one could understand why such an adorable little dog would be left for dead under a bush. And a veterinary exam revealed that, other than age-related dental issues and minor hearing loss, Jan was surprisingly healthy.

“She’s really a sweet little pup,” Halpin said. “Usually when you come across animals who have been abandoned in such a way, it’s because there’s an obvious injury or illness … and this is just a total head-scratcher.”

Jan seemed to get along with everyone she met at the shelter, displaying her easygoing nature around other dogs, cats and small children. MSPCA adoption workers knew that the special senior had quite a few people interested in adopting her, but wanted to be sure that Jan’s next home would be a perfect match.

“She’s very loving, and I know that can be a word that’s often tossed out there, but what I mean more specifically is that she loves being near to you,” Halpin explained. “She’s just perfectly content to be in your arms, loves to be held. She’s kind of like a greyhound in that she likes to lean into you.”

When the mother of one adoption center worker visited Jan, it became clear that she was the perfect person to meet the loving little dog’s needs.